Game apparatus



March 29 1927.

D. c. MADER GAME APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 26, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 29 1927. 1,622,330

D. c. MADER GAME APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 2 192's 3 S eets-Sheet 2 I Pattnted Mar. 29, 1927.

- UNITED STATES ATEN DAVID C. IADER, 01' 8'1. LOUIS, IISSOUBI.

cm APPARATUS.

Application filed January M, 1m, Serial Io. 4,789. lenewcd January 19 1927.

principles thereof and the manner of playing the game may be readily understood and in which the scoring is quite simple. The skill with which the manually operated pieces of the a paratus are manipulated is an important actor in the success obtained by the individual players.

Another object of the invention is totpro vide a ame apparatus utilizing a table and balls a apted to be rolled along the table to positions in which they will complete broken electric circuits to light lamps mdicating the result of each play.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus of the typementioned containing a signal device for indicating the clearing of the table afterthe completion of each game. i

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being made to the drawing in whichp Fig. 1 is a plan view of'my improved game ap' aratus. j

ig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlar ed cross sectional view on the line 5-5 of ig. 1.

Fig. 6'is a diagrammatic view showing the electric circuit system comprised within the invention. I

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing the device by which the balls are returned to the players after the completion of a lay lii 8 is an enlar ed sectional view show ing' t e means by w ich the broken electric circuits are closed by the ,balls when successive plays are made. Fi 9 is an enlarged sectional view ing t eelastic cushion used one end of the table.

showat the sides and Fig. 10 is a view showing a si nal destrips 4. The legs corresponding thereto.

familiar billiard table including the table' top 1, u wardly and outwardly inclined side and en walls 2, a wall 3 supporting the top 1 in spaced relation thereto by supporting I 5 support the entire table. The to 1 terminates a distance inwardly from t e forward end of the table, leaving a trough 6 to contain the balls until they are used in laying.

The side and end walls of the table rise to av proper height above the plane of the right confinii igl border walls 7 by frame members 8. e upper surface of the table top 1 and the inner surfaces of the sides '7 are covered with a layer 9 of felt or the like and stri s 10 of rubber are secured to the inner sur aces of the side walls to protect them from the impact of the balls and to afford proper resiliency to accelerate the balls in play. A similar strip 11 of rubberextends across the curved rear end 12 of the table.

Near the rearei d of the table a. series of cavities 13 are formed and lined with metal rin 14' to provide perfectly smooth surfaces an to protect the edges of the holes in the shownin'Fi 1 in transverse rows which maybe curve r not as desired, with the row of highest scormg value adjacent to the rear table top 1 and are connected with the upendof the table and therows being of pro- I gressively decreasin "scoring value toward the forward end of t e table from which the plays .are made; or, the value of the scoring cavities may be arranged'or placed in an other position from time to time, as desire The result of. each successful play is indi cated by a signal 16. The signals 16 correspond to the cavities 13, said signals comprising electric lamps each in circuit on one side with a contact member 17 "and on the other i side with a contact member 18. The contact 7 members 17 and 18 are located in the cavities 13. The contact member 18 is resilient and when free from the weight of a ball isout of contact with the corresponding contact member 17, thereby providing a broken or'open circuit, the lamp of which ,does not become illuminated until a ball rolls into'the cavity When a ball rolls into a cavity 13 it presses the resilient contact member 18 against the contact member '17, thereby closing the circuit to the corres onding signal lamp 16 which indicates to t e players the successful completion of a play and the scoring value thereof.

The balls may be returned to the forward or players end of the table by drawing a transverse element 19 along the top of the table to engage and actuate the balls toward the players. The ends of the element 19 are supported upon carriages 20, one of which is engaged by a connection 21 from a handle 22 (Figs. 1, 2 and 10), and the other of which is engaged by a similar connection 23 from said handle passing around sheaves 24. As the .device 19 moves toward the players end of the table the-carriages 20 contact with the ends of bumper springs 25, but further movement of the device 19 is retarded but not stopped, causing. the balls to continue -to move toward the players end of the table until they roll into the trough 6. The device 19' is returned to the rear end of the table by a connection 26 arra'nged'to wind upon a springactu-ated roller 27 of familiar con-' structlon which acts automatically to wind theconnection 26 thereon when the handle 22 is released to return the carriage 19 to its starting position.

As an incident to the clearing of the balls from the table by operation of the device 19 a signal is given; In the present instance the signal is an audible one, comprising a bell 28 and a hammer 29 having knuckle joint pivot connection with a lever 30. A projection 31 on the adjacent carriage 20 engages one end of the lever 30 and moves the same in opposition to a spring32 of the expansion type, which tends to actuate the lever 30 to stroke the hammer 29 againstthe bell. After the projection 31 passes beyond the lever 30 the spring 32 expands, thereby striking the hammer against the bell and signalling the fact that the table has been cleared.

* light to the top of the table. 7

The upper end of the apparatus may be constantly illuminated by lamps 34 behind a glass panel 35 upon which may be displayed the name of the game which I- have designated as Poker-ole.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a game apparatus and a method of playing the same, all of which may be readily comprehended and in the pla ing of which the game goes to the most ski lful player. The game may be played and enjoyed by children as well as by older people and, if only reasonable care is exercised, no damage to the apparatus will be.

' a ball to be rolled along the top of the table,

caused by playing the game.

It is obvious that numerous variations in.

parts of the apparatus may be made without eparture from the nature and principle of the invention. I do not restrictmyself to the specific form of the invention shown, but contemplate such variations as may be found desirable within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A game apparatus comprising a table, devices supported by the ta 1e for indicatmg the results of successful plays, positions defined upon the-top tions of successful plays, balls garranged to be rolled along the top of the table to said ositions in making successful plays, means or operating a corresponding one of said devices when a ball enters one of said positions thereby indicating the making of a" successful play, and a device for mo the ballsfrom said positions along the table top towaigl the players. 1 3. game a paratuscom ri a table a ball to be roll dd along p defined successful play positions in the top of the table to receive the ball when a successful play is made, indicating devices corresponding to said positions respectively and each being operated automatically andas an incident to the entry of the ball in the corresponding one of said positions, and means indicatin when said ball is removed from any one 0 said positions.

4. A game apparatus comprising a table, a ball to be rolled along the top of the table, defined successful play positions in the top of the table to receive the ball when a successful play is made, indicating devices corresponding to said positions respectively, an electric circuit from each of said devices to the corresponding one of said positions, a circuit make and break device adjacent to each of saidpositions controlled by said ball to close the circuit to the corresponding one of said devices automatically and as an inci dent to the entry'of the ball into one of said positions, and means for moving the ball from any one of said positions and along the top of the table towards the player.

"5. A game apparatus comprising a table,

defined successful play positions in the top of the table to receive the ball when a sacof the table as posi one of said posi-. of a.

the top of the table,

'cessful play is made, indicating devices 001'- responding to said positions r electric circuit from each of said devices to the-corresponding one of said positions, a circuit make and break device adjacent to each of said positions controlled by said ball to'close the circuit to the corresponding one of said devices automatically and as'an. incident to the entry of the ball into any one of said positions, a device for'mp'vin theballs from said positions toward the p ayers, and asignal indicating from any one of said positions. 7

6. A. game apparatus comprising'a table having a series cavities-in the top thereof,

a series of indicating devices corres onding to' the cavities respectively, norma y open electric circuits lea from said cavities to the corresponding in 'cating devfcesyballs arranged to roll along the top. of the table and into said cavities, means controlled by r 'the' balls entering the cavities to operate reaaaeo ectively, an i when the ball is removed the corresponding indicat' devices to indi'-' cate the results 0 plays, an means for moving the balls along the top of the table toward the P ay 7." A game ap aratus comprising a table having a serieso cavities in the top thereof,

players after the completion of 'a-series of indicating devices corres ending to the cavities respectively, normal y open electric circuits leadin arranged to roll along the top of the, table and into said cavities, means controlled by the balls entering the cavities to operate the from said cavities to the corresponding in icating devices, balls corresponding indicating devices to indicate;

the results of lays, means for moving the balls toward t e layers after the completion of plays, an means for signallin the fact'that the plays have been complete and the balls moved toward the players.

DAVID C. MADER. 

